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GEO 1305 Exam 2
Texas State / Spring '10 / Meteorology / Dr. Dixon
| Question | Answer |
|---|---|
| Water cycles through the earth the atmospheres | evaporation, transpiration, interception, infiltration, and condensation |
| Evaporation | occurs if energy is available to a water surface |
| Saturation | = equilibrium between evaporation and condensation adding more water vapor or additional cooling will lead to condensation in the atmosphere i.e. cloud formation. |
| Humidity | the amount of water vapor in the air. Expressed in many ways: vapor pressure, saturation vapor, absolute humidity, |
| vapor pressure | pressure exerted on the atmosphere by water vapor. dependent on temperature and density. |
| Saturation vapor pressure | maximum water vapor pressure possible solely temp. dependent exponentially increases with temp. |
| Absolute Humidity | density of water vapor in g/M^3 changes as air volume changes. |
| Specific Humidity | a mass of water vapor per mass of air in g/kg does not vary with volume fluxes and does not change what temp. |
| Mixing Ratio | amount of water vapor relative to only a mass of dry air and it’s a ratio. |
| Relative Humidity | given as a % of water vapor amount relative to the saturation point. Depends on air temp/total water vapor present. I.E very inaccurate R.h can be very misleading. highest occurs during coolest times and vis a vis .cannot not be used to compare 2 differen |
| Dew Point | temp at which saturation occurs. |
| Dew point temp saturation. | temp to which air must be cooled without changing the water vapor content or the pressure to reach |
| Frost point | Saturation occurs below the freezing point. |
| Methods of achieving saturation | addition of water vapor, mixing cold air with warm moist air, cooling air to the dew point. |
| Measuring humidity | sling psychrometer- two thermometers to measure wet and dry bulb temps. Aspirated and hair hygrometers are alternatives. |
| Heat index | combines heat and humidity factors. |
| High humidity | reduces evaporation |
| diabatic process | the direct addition addition or removal of heat energy. |
| The second law of Thermodynamics | energy transfers from areas of high temp to areas of lower temp. |
| Dry adiabatic lapse rate | -1C/100m(-5.5F/1000Ft), sinking parcels experience compression warming. |
| The environmental lapse rate | Overall decrease in air temp with height, Changes diurnally from place to place, air aloft is located farther from surface heating. |
| Convergence | air converging into low-pressure regions. |
| Localized convection | Free, Forced (mechanical). |
| Clouds | instrumental to the earth’s energy and moisture balances, form as parcels lift and cool. Mechanisms that lift air = Orthographic lift, Windward Vs. Leaward -Rianshadow. |
| Frontal lifting | boundaries between unlike air masses, warm/moist air rises to form clouds, cold and warm fronts occur. |
| Static Stability | Atmospheric conditions relative to vertical air motions, Related to temp-controlled buoyancy, - positive and negative buoyancy. |
| Types of Static Stability | Statically unstable, Statically stable, Statically neutral. |
| Absolutely unstable | positive buoyancy, parcel cooling rates are less than that of ambient air. |
| Absolutely stable air | Negative buoyancy, parcel cooler than the ambient air. |
| Conditionally unstable air | nvironmental Lapse Rate is between the dry and adiabatic lapse rate and the saturated adiabatic lapse rate, negative buoyancy initially, positive buoyancy after saturation. |
| Cloud types | nlimited variety of size, shape, and composition, classes based on appearance and/or height. Not all clouds precipitate, precipitation requires rapid cloud drop growth. |
| Factors influencing the ELR | heating/cooling the lower atmosphere. Surface-based observations: Ceilometers, laser used. |
| Clouds observation by satellite | visible images, infrared images. |
| Saturated adiabatic lapse rate | occurs in saturated air, -.5C/100m(-3.3F/1000Ft). |
| Growth in warm clouds | Collision-Coalesence, -Larger collector drops begin process,- responsible for most latitude precipitation events. |
| Growth in cool and cold clouds | |
| Bergeron process | coexistence of ice and supercooled water is critical, rapid growth of ice crystals, riming and aggregation, responsible for most mid and high latitude precipitation events. |
| Forms of precipitations | Snow- bergeron process, riming and aggretion |
| North American distribution = Topographic influences: Lake effect snow: Large bodies of water, snow stimulated as cold air passes over warmer lake surface(evaporation), - Destabilizes overlying atmosphere,-provides uplift, snow occurs in narrow bands in l | |
| Cumulonimbus clouds | ice(top, fuzzy cloudy margins), liquid(bottom, sharp margin), and mix of ice and liquid(middle). |
| Hail | Concentric layers of ice around graupel-up- and downdraft interactions in thunderstorms,- Great plains/highest frequency, - may grow to large size and cause significant damage. |
| Rain | drop size greater than .5mm. |
| Measuring precipitation | Standard raingages,- Sparse network. |
| Sleet | ice crystals melt in an inversion then refreeze near surface. |
| Freezing rain | Similar to sleet, but freezes at surface. |
| Rain gage measurement errors | Point estimates/ wide variations across small spaces,- measurement errors- wind, residual water, non-level surfaces. |
| Precipitation measurement by weather Radar | precipitation estimates, real-time information. |
| Snow measurement | Accumulated snow measured, water equivalent of snow/10 to 1. |
| Automated snow pillows | convert weight to water equivalent. SWE important in water resources planning throughout western states. |
| Absolutely Unstable | Parcel cools slower than environment, parcel is buoyant and rises. |
| Absolutely Stable | Parcel cools faster than environment, parcel is not buoyant, does not rise. |
| Conditionally Stable | Environmental lapse rate between dry and wet adiabatic lapse rates, air is initially not buoyant, but become buoyant after saturation. |
Created by:
goldmeg89
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